Moistening apparatus.



H. M. BECKWITH.

/ MOISTBNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a, 1911.

1,124,58, Patented Jan.12,1915.

' e/MA sari-t res enrich nann rat. nricnwfrrn, or wotmisron,massacnusnrrs, ASSIGNOR T0 BEGKWITH no res consent, or seven, new HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION or MAINE.

MOISTENING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. is; was.

To all 1071 0112 it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY M. Bnonwrrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVollaston, in the county of Norfolk and State of ltlassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moistcning Apparatus, of which the following is a. specification.

Tlhis invention relates to means for mois tuning parts of boots and shoe uppers as a" step in the process of lasting, the object of tlfc moistcning being to temper the leather and render it more flexible than when in a dry condition. l The invention has for its object to provide means for subjecting the part or parts of a boot or shoe upper which require moistening, to a dense aqueous vapor adapted to quickly and thoroughly moisten the leather without subjecting it to injurious heat.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will noW proceed to describe and. claim Of the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a moistening apparatus embodying my'invention, a part of the casing being broken away; Fig. 2 rep resents section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a top plan viewr Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide a sheet metal casing 12, the lower portion of which is closed and constitutes a water-tight reservoir adapted to confine a body of water,

"the reservoir being provided with an outlet 13 which is preferably a standpipe extending through the bottom of the casing, the upper end ofisaid' pipe constituting an outlet which prevents the accumulation of a body of water in the reservoir above a predetermined l'ieight.

'l'represents a steam conduit which is preferably a pipe havingnumerous small perforations'15, said pipe being connected with a source of steamsupply and its perforated-portion extending along the lower portion of the reservoir below the outlet 13 thereof. Steam is distributed-in numerous jets by thepipe 14 into the water in the reservoir, the steam being condensed by the water and heating the water so that vapor is rapidly formed which rises from the reser voir and accumulatesin the upper portion of the casing, said upper portion and moistenmg chamber, belng provided with means as hereinafter described for supporting parts of boot or shoe uppers in contact with the vapor rising from the reservoir.

I prefer to interpose a porous ballle 16 between'the steam pipe 14 and the portion of the casing which receives the articles to be moistened, said baille being preferably a mass of cotton waste supported by a forarninous partition 17 which may be wire cloth of coarse mesh extending horizontally across the casing above the steam pipe 14, and preferably below the outlet 13. The fibrous ma terial forming the ballle 16 is partly sub merged in the body of water in the reservoir, its entire thickness being more or less saturated with water.

It will be seen that the steam distributed by the pipe 14: in the body of water in the reservoir is subdivided into small jets by the perforations in the pipe 14:. The steam thus distributed may or may not be Wholly condensed by the water through which it passes. iAny steam which is not condensed by contact with the water is diffused by the water-soaked baffle 16 so thoroughly that there is little or no probability of any live steam passing into the moistening chamber and subjecting the shoe uppers therein to injurious heat. The result of the discharge of the steam through the body of water and through the saturated baflie 16, is to form a dense vapor in the portion of the casing constituting the'moistening chamber, said vapor acting to thoroughly moisten uppers inserted in said chamber.

The casing is provided in one of its vertical sides with openings 18, each adapted to receive the toe portion of the boot or shoe upper 19. l

The casing is provided externally with meansfor supporting the upper while its toe portion is inserted in an opening 18, said means being preferably a rack composed of a bar 20 attached to the casing and pins 21 attached to the bar and arranged in pairs, each pair of pins being adapted to support an' upper placed upon them.

F laps or covers 22 are hinged at 23 to the casing-and'are adapted to normally close the-opening 18,'said flaps being swung inwardlyby the pressure of the toe portion of an upper against them, as indicated by Fig-v Z'and' preventing water of condensation from dropping on the inner sole of the upper.

' mitted at the opening 24, or to close said opening. The air admitted serves to regulate the temperature within the casing and condenses any steam which may find its way through the body of water and the baflie 16.

An essential part of my apparatus is a reservoir adapted to hold a body of water around and above the steam distributing pipe so that steam discharged from the pipe enters the water and is wholly or mainly condensed thereby, the steam and a part of the water being converted into vapor which rises from the body of water, fills the moistening chamber, and moistens uppers therein without injuriously heating such uppers.

I do not claim an upper moistenmg apparatus in which live steam is discharged directly into a mass of fibrous material, such as cotton waste, without passing first through a body of water.

The upper portion of the casing is provided with a vent opening 28 which, by permitting the escape of air, prevents the occupation of the upper portion of the casing by a stagnant body of air and enable the vapor to occupy the Tehtire upper portion. In practice there is a limited escape of vapor through the opening 28.

' The openings 18 and 24 are locatedat opposite sides of the casing and the opening 24 13 lower than the opening 18, the opening'24 as here shown being bounded by the lower edge of the cover 25, the lower ends of wings 25 on said cover, and the upper edge of one side of the casing. Relatively cool air entering the opening 24; and warmed by the vapor in the casing therefore flows in an upward direction across the casing and passes out at the upper portion of the opening 18. The air current thus set up induces a movement of the vapor from the portion of the bafiie nearest the air opening toward the upper 19, the vapor being thus caused to impinge effectively upon the upper.

I claim:

1. A moistening apparatus comprising a casing having a lower portion constituting a reservoir and provided with an outlet above the bottom of the reservoir, means for distributing steam in said reservoir below the outlet thereof, the upper portion of the casing constituting a moistening chamber having an opening to receive a shoe upper, and adjustable means for admitting air to regulate the temperature in the chamber.

2. A moistening apparatus comprising a casing having a lower portion constituting a reservoir and provided with an outlet above the bottom of the reservoir, means for an opening for the admission of air, and

hinged covers for said openings.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in one face for the reception of the toe portion of a shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending through said opening into thecasmg, and means for supplying said casing with vapor or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively hot vapor or steam, said openings being relatively arranged to cause a movement.

of vapor toward the portion of the shoe upper inserted in the casing.

4. In'an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in one face for the reception of the toe portion of a shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending through said opening into the easing, means for supplying said casing with v vapor, or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively hot vapor or steam, said openings being relatively arranged to causea movement of vapor toward the portion of the shoe upper tion of the toe portion of a shoe, means for Y supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending through said opening into the easing, means for supplying said casing with vapor or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively .hot vapor or steam, said openings. being relatively arranged to cause a movement of vapor toward the portion of the shoe upper inserted in the casing, and means for regulating admission of air to the casing.

6. In an apparatus of the character de-' scribed, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in one face for the reception of the toe portion of a shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending'through said opening into the easing, means for supplying said casing with vappr or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively hot vapor or steam} said openings being relatively arranged to bause a movement of vapor toward the portion of the shoe upper inserted in the casing, a d a cover hinged to the casing above the 'shoe-receiving opening, and adapted to conduct Water of condensation away from the toe portion of a shoe inserted therein.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in one face for the reception of the toe portion of a shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending through said opening into the casing, and means for supplying said casing with vapor or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively hot vapor or steam, said openings be ing relatively arranged to cause a movement of vapor toward the portion of the shoe upper inserted in the casing, the upper portion of the casing being provided. With a vent opening.

8.-In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in one face for the reception of thetoe portion of a shoe, means for supporting a shoe with its toe portion extending through said opening into the casing, means for supplying'said casing with vapor or steam, the casing being provided in another face with an opening for the admission of air to condense the relatively hot vapor or steam, and a bafiie located below and between said'openings and above the vapor supplying means, said openings being relatively arranged to cause a movement of vapor from the portion of the baffle nearest the air opening toward the portion of the shoe upper inserted in the casing.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses;

HARRY M. BECKWITH. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, J. H. CHURCHILL. 

